Name:   MrHodja - Subject:   Hodja, Date:   7/16/2017 12:01:56 AM

Au contraire.  I spent a career in the Air Force, and upon retirement from the AF spent 25 years  as a defense contractor.  Retired from that company and a former Government customer urged me to come back to another company because their support contract team didnt have a clue as to what they were doing.  I guess you could say I am in the third year of my third career, one that will most likely come to an end around November of this year.

My wife has worked a lot in the truly civilian world and has given me a lot of input on that side of things, so while I don't have direct knowledge I tend to believe what she says.

And I can't speak for what goes on in the VA, Social Security, or the Post Office.  Others have painted that picture.  On the "gubment" side of things I will second Hound's posts that the DoD is a different animal than other government agencies.  Is it perfect?  No.  Is it more mission focused than other federal agencies?  From what I have seen on the forum regarding those other agencies and what I know after spending fifty years supporting the DoD, hell yes.  If Social Security fails someone doesn't get a check.  If the Post Office fails someone doesn't get a letter or package.  If the DoD fails, people die.  Thus, failure is not an option.

Some may poopoo what I do now, cyber security for the Defense Health Management Systems, as not that important, but I had the chance to speak briefly with USMC General Joe Dunford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff this past November, and when I described what I am doing he looked me square in the eye and said each one of those medical records represents a human being.  Makes it a little easier to keep the nose to the grindstone and the eye on the prize knowing that the number one General in the entire US military values the work we do.  FWIW, we must be doing something right because the VA has chosen our solution for their implementation of their Electronic Health Record...ah but I digress.